Mental Health Information and Resources

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a national organization providing information about mental illness, support groups, and advocacy.

NAMI Helpline - 1- 800-950-6264 M-F, 9 am – 5 pm

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

School counselors employed by the district provide services that are part of a comprehensive school counseling program, as defined by the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and in alignment with Texas Education Code §33.005. These services may include:

• Academic guidance and course planning
• Career and postsecondary readiness support
• Social skills/coping skills support
• Brief check-ins with students for safety or emotional well-being
• Crisis response support

School counselors do not provide therapy or clinical mental health services. Any interactions related to emotional or behavioral concerns are limited in scope and duration and are not a substitute for mental health care or treatment.

Suicide Risk Screeners and Behavioral Threat Assessments are used for informational purposes to determine the safety of a student who has expressed suicidal ideation. These screeners in no way diagnose, treat, or characterize a student as having a mental disorder. 

Behavioral threat assessment means a threat assessment conducted as required by TEC, Section 37.115, and under protocols established by TEA and the Texas School Safety Center. Parental notifications for behavioral threat assessments are exempt from the requirements of this rule and will be made in accordance with TEC, Section 37.115, and the requirements set by TEA and the Texas School Safety Center.

MISD protocol is to notify parents upon the completion of any such assessment to work with the parents to determine any further actions to ensure the safety of their student.

Our district also employs a limited number of Licensed Student Support Counselors (LSSCs)—licensed professionals (e.g., Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)) who may provide mental health-related support services, including individual or group sessions and crisis support. These services are separate and distinct from the routine services provided by school counselors. Services provided from our district Licensed Support Counselors require written consent from parents before any services can begin. Support Counselors may also assist in crisis situations.

In situations where services requiring consent are recommended, the campus will contact parents or guardians on a case-by-case basis as the need arises. 

• Licensed Student Support Counselors require written consent from parent/guardian before they can begin any individual or group counseling services. 
• School Counselors require written consent from parent/guardian before a student participates in group counseling or skill-building activities.

In addition to SB 12, TEC §26.0083, TEC school counselor programming is guided by legislation including, but not limited to:

• House Bill 18 – Requires mental health instruction (Note: Instructional content is separate from counseling services.)
• Senate Bill 179 (David’s Law) – Encourages school districts to include suicide prevention and bullying prevention strategies as part of the school counselor’s role. Our secondary school counselors provide a lesson on David’s Law and what the law means.  The lesson can be requested from your student’s campus.  Further bullying prevention presentations are provided through MISD partnership with YES programming which is an opt-out provided to parents/guardians.  The preview of the presentations is available to parents/guardians each year before the scheduled presentations.
• Senate Bill 11 – Addresses trauma-informed care and safety practices, including a role for counselors in crisis response and mental health coordination.  Counselors will respond to students in crisis as part of a safety measure.  Parents will be contacted if a crisis occurs.
• Texas Administrative Code Title 19, Part 2, Chapter 120 – Texas law mandates that school districts adopt Character Education programs that emphasize positive character traits like trustworthiness, responsibility, caring, and good citizenship, as outlined in the Texas Education Code §29.906 and integrated into the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for all grade levels.  The curriculum used to meet this requirement was approved through the Superintendent’s Advisory Committees, School Health Advisory Council, and the District Educational Improvement Council.  Curriculum may be viewed at your student’s campus.
• Texas Education Code, Section 37.115 – Requires school districts to establish threat assessment and safe and supportive school teams to identify and assess students who may pose a threat to themselves or others. Each team must conduct a threat assessment that includes evaluating individuals who make threats or exhibit harmful, threatening, or violent behavior, including self-harm. The assessment involves gathering and analyzing data to determine the level of risk and appropriate interventions, such as mental health referrals or escalation procedures.